Permanently Removing a Wireless Network

NoXInNixon

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I'm having a weird problem. Every few days my computer will randomly decide to ignore the fact that it's already connected to my home network and instead switch to a completely different network which must belong to one of my neighbors, and which is password protected so I have to stop what I'm doing to manually reconnect to my home network. I go into the Network and Sharing Center, find the other network and remove it from my list of available networks, which Wndows 7 assures me will prevent my computer for ever trying to attach to that network unless I add it.
 
But then a few days later, that network somehow appears back in the Network Sharing Center, and it's at the very top of the priority list. If I leave it on the list but drop it in priority to the very bottom, it doesn't matter because in a few days it will move itself back up to the top again.
 
So how I can I prevent my computer from ever trying to connect to this other network again?
 

PaulinMyrBch

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When you open up the Network Sharing Center, on the left column there should be a choice for Manage Wireless Networks.  Open that and see if that network is listed. 
 

NoXInNixon

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It's not at the moment, because I just removed it again this morning. But I know in a few days it will be back. It always comes back.
 

savage362

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Try this:
 
  • Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Manage Wireless Networks.
  • Right-click the network in question and select Properties.
  • Uncheck 'Connect automatically when this network is in range'.
 

NoXInNixon

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I'll try that next time it comes back, but I think I have tried that before.
 

NoXInNixon

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savage362 said:
 
Try this:
 
  • Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Manage Wireless Networks.
  • Right-click the network in question and select Properties.
  • Uncheck 'Connect automatically when this network is in range'.
 
So it's just come back again. That box is not currently checked, so I left it unchecked. The box "Connect even if this network is not broadcasting its name (SSID)" was checked, so I unchecked it. Then I moved down from the top to the bottom, underneath the network I would like to always attach to. In addition, this unwanted network is labelled Manually Connect, while the network I would like to use is labelled Automatically Connect.
 
I'm pretty sure I've done all this shit before, but it still keeps connecting to this other network sometimes.
 

NoXInNixon

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Yep. It happened again this morning. The wrong network is back to the top of the list, and my computer tried to connect to it instead of my network. Furthermore, the "Connect even if this network is not broadcasting its name (SSID)" box which I had unchecked, is checked again.
 

PaulinMyrBch

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Right click on your network. The should be some option to move it to the top of the list. Your neighbors network is at the top of your priority list. Need to get it to the bottom and yours to the top.
 

NoXInNixon

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PaulinMyrBch said:
Right click on your network. The should be some option to move it to the top of the list. Your neighbors network is at the top of your priority list. Need to get it to the bottom and yours to the top.
I've done that. Somehow it puts itself back up to the top of the list.
 

zenter

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What make of system are you using? Many laptop manufacturers include their own networking app on top of the Windows one, and it saves SSID/pass/etc info separately. I know I've had to delete access points in both places before in order to make it stop connecting.
 

zenter

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NoXInNixon said:
It's an HP desktop.
 
And your wireless card is built-in? It may be some random HP networking software. If it's an add-on card, it might be software you used to install the add-on drivers. I wish I could be more help, but this feels like the issue.
 

PaulinMyrBch

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NoXInNixon said:
Yep. It happened again this morning. The wrong network is back to the top of the list, and my computer tried to connect to it instead of my network. Furthermore, the "Connect even if this network is not broadcasting its name (SSID)" box which I had unchecked, is checked again.
When I open the networks in Properties (I have an hp also), it gives me a choice to check "Connect to a more preferred network".  Do you have that option, and if so what happens when you check that?
 

NoXInNixon

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PaulinMyrBch said:
When I open the networks in Properties (I have an hp also), it gives me a choice to check "Connect to a more preferred network".  Do you have that option, and if so what happens when you check that?
I haven't tried that yet, because the only way that box becomes checkable is if I also check the "Connect Automatically When this Network is in Range" is also checked, and I have been always keeping that one unchecked. But I'll try to check them both.
 
zenter said:
 
And your wireless card is built-in? It may be some random HP networking software. If it's an add-on card, it might be software you used to install the add-on drivers. I wish I could be more help, but this feels like the issue.
It's a wireless USB adapter. Let me see what software it installed.
 

OfTheCarmen

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Could the issue be that your network is flaking out and them your pc is looking for something else in range?
 

NoXInNixon

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Orange Julia said:
Have you considered moving? That would most certainly solve the problem.
I would love to move, but that's probably not in the cards for at least six months or so.
 

NoXInNixon

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OfTheCarmen said:
Could the issue be that your network is flaking out and them your pc is looking for something else in range?
That is possible. My home network is prone to flakiness. But then is there a way to tell it to go back to my home network as soon as it is back running?
 

Corsi

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Have you considered burning down your neighbor's house?
 

swyman18

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Jul 15, 2005
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Dumb question, but the neighbor network name isn't the same as yours, is it? Like 'Linksys' or something? I know you said the other one is password protected, is yours also? What exactly happens when it "tries" to connect to the other network?
 

NoXInNixon

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swyman18 said:
Dumb question, but the neighbor network name isn't the same as yours, is it? Like 'Linksys' or something? I know you said the other one is password protected, is yours also? What exactly happens when it "tries" to connect to the other network?
No, they're different names. When it connects to the other network, if I'm in the middle of an online game I get booted from it, and if I try to get onto the internet it instead loads a password screen asking for a password I don't have.
 

Orange Julia

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If moving is not an option for at least 6 months I would recommend checking to see if it is your wireless card/USB dongle thingy. It sounds like your internet drops for whatever reasons (probably having to do with your network adaptor/card) and then automatically tries to pick up the next available network.  If that doesn't work I would most assuredly break the lease and move because your neighbor is totally fucking with you.
 

OCST

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Just throwing it out there as a WAG - if you have a dual-band wireless adapter, can you switch your wireless router to use the other band (you probably are using 2.4, and you might try switching to 5)?
 
Switching to 5 made all kinds of problems go away.
 
Also, another that occurs to me as I'm typing this: you say that this is an HP desktop.  What's the advantage of using wireless with a (presumably immobile) desktop?  Can't you just run an Ethernet cable to it from the router, even if it's at the other end of the house and you need a long-ass cord?
 

SumnerH

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OilCanShotTupac said:
Just throwing it out there as a WAG - if you have a dual-band wireless adapter, can you switch your wireless router to use the other band (you probably are using 2.4, and you might try switching to 5)?
 
Switching to 5 made all kinds of problems go away.
 
Also, another that occurs to me as I'm typing this: you say that this is an HP desktop.  What's the advantage of using wireless with a (presumably immobile) desktop?  Can't you just run an Ethernet cable to it from the router, even if it's at the other end of the house and you need a long-ass cord?
 
Not having to run cable is extremely nice.  I've used wireless on my desktops for over a decade, and I wouldn't go back to the days of fishing cable through the walls unless I absolutely had to or maybe if I felt I was going to stay in one place for a decade plus (if I build my own place I'd certainly run conduit to make it easy).